Tehran condemned Washington for imposing new sanctions on Iranian targets, among others, for alleged oil shipment to Syria, saying Washington will realize such bans are “futile” and “illogical.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Wednesday that the latest sanctions are based on delusional excuses, Press TV reported.

On Tuesday, the US Treasury accused Russia of facilitating the shipment of Iranian oil to Syria, alleging that a Syrian citizen used his Russia-based company to ship Iranian oil to Syria with the aid of a Russian state-owned company.

“These futile, illogical and ineffective sanctions on people and entities will definitely not produce the results desired by their designers and enforcers,” he said.

“Sooner or later they (the Americans) will become aware of the futility of what they used to imagine,” he added.

The blacklist included two executives at the Central Bank of Iran, a Russian, a Syrian, an Iraqi and a Lebanese as well as an Iranian entity and two Russian ones.

The Russian Foreign Ministry responded on Wednesday saying the move only served to harm attempts to defeat “terrorists” in Syria, describing the step as a “clumsy” decision, The National reported.

Statement of support for terrorists

“Accusations concerning oil supplies to Syria – a country whose armed forces have been fighting terrorist aggression for over seven years – look like a statement of support for terrorists and also show a desire to prevent the reconstruction of the war-torn country, where many people live without electricity and heating. Is it what the United States really wants?” the Russian ministry asked.

Russia will continue supplying oil to Syria in line with its agreement with Damascus despite pressure from the United States, RIA news agency quoted Oleg Morozov, a member of the Russian Federation Council, as saying late on Tuesday.

Under the administration of US President Donald Trump, Washington has taken an increasingly hostile approach toward Tehran in what is viewed by Iranian officials as an economic war.

Back in May, Trump withdrew his country from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in defiance of international objections.

Since then, the US has unleashed its “toughest ever” sanctions against Iran. It has also warned of severe penalties for the companies that evade the bans and engage in business with Iran.

Iran has stressed that the American pressure campaign and oppressive sanctions will definitely fail.

Washington is also critical of the Iranian and Russian role in Syria, where the two countries have been helping the Syrian government fight terrorist groups, like Daesh.